Burt Rutherford

Senior Editor, BEEF Magazine

Burt has more than 35 years of experience communicating about beef industry issues. A Colorado native and graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in agricultural journalism, he now works from his home base in Amarillo, Texas, in the heart of cattle feeding country. He worked as communications director for the North American Limousin Foundation and editor of the Western Livestock Journal before spending 21 years as communications director for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

Burt’s Recent activity

Amidst all the clamor and noise in the news today, it is my distinct pleasure to pause for a moment and introduce you to two new future cattle producers and the newest members of the BEEF family, and to tell you about...

The issue of whether or not, or to what extent, the use of antibiotics in food animal production contributes to antibiotic resistant bacteria plaguing human health continues to roil. Those of you watching the Olympics...

“It’s been declared in many a cow camp and auction barn café, ‘I sell calves, and the packer is the one getting all of the premiums for my high-quality genetics,’” observes Paul Dykstra, beef cattle specialist with...

Earlier this week, Missouri beef producers defeated, by a substantial 75% no vote, a state beef checkoff. An effort has been underway in the state since December to establish a $1-per-head state checkoff in addition...

The other day, a reader chastised us for writing about activists’ attempts to disparage the beef business, with the end goal of convincing consumers to eat less meat. “99% of the first world consumes animal products...

Yesterday, in her BEEF Daily blog, Amanda Radke discussed some survey results that we all should take to heart. In short, the survey said what’s been said many times before—consumers want to know what you do and why...

This week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) named longtime staffer Kendal Frazier as the organization’s new chief executive officer. Frazier has been serving as interim CEO for the past 10 months. He...

Last Friday, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it is suspending its midyear Cattle report, scheduled to be released July 22. Here’s what NASS says in its news release announcing the...